Supporting the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust

On Sunday, Sept 29 New Zealand will aim for the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for largest haka at Eden Park, New Zealand’s national stadium.

Three-piece reo Māori metal band Alien Weaponry have joined the line-up of spectacular Kiwis artists performing at the record-breaking occasion.

Alien Weaponry shot to prominence in 2016, after becoming the first band to win both the Smokefree Rockquest and Pacifica Beats contests, with their unique brand of te reo-infused thrash metal. No emerging band has shaken up the international metal scene like Alien Weaponry, with their first album Tū released in 2018 achieving over a million times on Spotify in its first week of release. The band’s second album Tangaroa was released in 2021, and has seen the band continue its extensive tours through Europe and North America, and achieve tours and festivals with the likes of Slayer and Gojira.

Alien Weaponry will be joining the 14 other previously announced artists performing at the event, a line-up that’s rarely seen outside of a festival circuit, including Anika Moa, Che Fu, Corrella, Georgia Lines, Hollie Smith, Kings, Majic, Paige, PERE, Ria Hall, Rob Ruha, Shepherds Reign, Tami Neilson and the Topp Twins.

“We are thrilled the Alien Weaponry boys are joining our kaupapa to reclaim the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the largest haka. Despite their youth, they already have the best part of a decade’s experience behind them, and have taken te reo Māori across the world,” says Dame Hinewehi Mohi DNZM (Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāi Tūhoe), cultural ambassador for HAKA and co-founder of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

“We are humbled by the support and backing of Alien Weaponry, and the 14 other sensational artists already announced to be performing, who represent the breadth of New Zealand’s bilingual musical talent. There is something in this line up for everyone. It is a beautiful example of how music can connect us all,” says Dame Hinewehi.

“Celebrating and preserving the Māori culture will always be fundamental to our band, so when we were approached to be part of this kaupapa, we know it was something that we had to be involved in,” shares Alien Weaponry drummer Henry de Jong. “This is about more than just setting the record straight, this event is about returning the mana of this world record to the land of its origin, and we look forward to doing it alongside Aotearoa’s most celebrated musicians, sporting icons and kapa haka legends.”

The event will be broadcast by Whakaata Māori, the Haka Record’s official broadcast partner.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is proud to be hosting this iconic event in Tāmaki Makaurau and support this unique celebration of Māori culture alongside other key partners including The Eden Park Trust, One New Zealand, Go Media, Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori, Aktive and Les Mills.

Get ready to haka
To make sure everyone participating performs Ka Mate authentically and accurately all participants will have access to a series of training videos to learn how to perform Ka Mate, including the differences for tāne (men) and wāhine (women). The training videos are provided as part of your ticket price.

Tickets to participate in this family friendly event and record attempt are on sale now at
$10 per adult, $5 for concessions.

Spectator tickets are also available and tickets include free public transport to the event.

Get your tickets
www.hakarecord.co.nz

If you are outside of Tāmaki Makaurau or unable to be at Eden Park on the 29th September, you can ‘Haka at Home’ as the event will be broadcast by our official broadcast partner Whakaata Māori and live streamed by Microsoft Teams.

Additionally, SOHO and Abstract Hotels are generously offering 15% off accommodation to ticket holders. To make a reservation, please use the code ‘HAKA’ at the time of booking online or book by calling the hotels direct.

The proceeds from ticket sales go to the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust. For more information on Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust and to learn how to donate, please visit www.rmtc.org.nz.

The full line-up in alphabetical order:
Alien Weaponry
Anika Moa
Che Fu
Corrella
Georgia Lines
Hollie Smith
Kings
Majic Pāora
Paige
PERE
Ria Hall
Rob Ruha
Shepherds Reign
Tami Neilson
Topp Twins

The HAKA identity has been developed by Extended Whānau. The whakapapa and energy of haka is captured in a distinctive wordmark. It represents the Māori origins of haka through the dance of Tānerore, the personification of heat shimmer. The performative and sound qualities of haka are also present.

Sponsors:

The Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust wishes to thank the generous support of the following sponsors:

The Eden Park Trust
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
One New Zealand
Go Media
Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori
Aktive
Les Mills

As well as our event partners who have made this possible: Pead, Inside Out Productions, Cornerstore, Ballyhoo, Extended Whānau, EY New Zealand, Microsoft, Whakaata Māori, Stuff, Flava, Sky, NZ Rugby Commercial, BECA, AIA, APRA NZ, TikTok, Te Matatini, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Te Whare Wānanga O Awanuiārangi and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

About Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust
The Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust was established in March 2004 by singer Dame Hinewehi Mohi, who named it after her daughter, Hineraukatauri who has severe cerebral palsy. Hineraukatauri and thousands of other New Zealanders, have found a way to express themselves through music therapy. RMTT services are delivered via a clinical practice rooted in the humanistic model of music therapy which recognises each individual client’s uniqueness and worth. Their mission is to work with any person in need, to enrich and develop their lives through music.

Nā Puoro, ko taurikura / Music transforms us
www.rmtc.org.nz

About Dame Hinewehi Mohi
The HAKA event is led by Dame Hinewehi Mohi DNZM (Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāi Tūhoe) acclaimed New Zealand singer/songwriter, who performed the New Zealand National Anthem in te reo Māori at Twickenham during the 1999 Rugby World Cup. That moment in Aotearoa’s history became a turning point for the recognition of Te Reo Māori and it is now customary that the national anthem is sung in both Māori and English

About Eden Park
Eden Park is New Zealand’s national stadium and a globally iconic venue located in central Auckland. Each year more than half a million sports and entertainment fans visit from around the world.

Since being founded as a cricket ground in 1903, the Park has been home to many historic moments for New Zealand. From the 1950 British Empire Games, to the Black Ferns winning the Rugby World Cup and sell-out concerts, Eden Park has delivered countless memories, cementing its position as the country’s premier stadium. The venue successfully holds sell-our crowds of up to 60,000 on event days and hosts more than 1,000 functions per year. Eden Park was named Venue of the Year at the 2024 TheStadiumBusiness Awards.

The Eden Park Trust operates as a statutory not-for-profit body corporate, registered as a charitable trust with the Charities Commission. Its objectives are to promote, operate and develop Eden Park as a high-quality multi-purpose stadium for the use and benefit of rugby and cricket as well as other sporting codes and other recreational, musical, and cultural events for the benefit of the public of the Auckland region.

A Deed of Trust establishing Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby as the beneficial owners of Eden Park was signed in 1926 and has since been enshrined in legislation. Most notably remembered for hosting the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup Finals, Eden Park remains the home of both Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby as it has been for more than a century.

Guinness World Records to Officiate attempt
This attempt will be officiated by Guinness World Records, with official adjudicator Brian Sobel arriving in Aotearoa the day before the attempt. In accordance with requirements, a steward from EY New Zealand will be assigned to every 50 participants to officiate the attempt.

The most recent attempt to bring this record home was staged in Rotorua in 2017, but due to administrative delays, unfortunately, this attempt was not officially verified by Guinness World Records. Tony Molloy, the organiser of the 2017 event, has offered his full support to the Trust at this year’s event.

“At Guinness World Records we strive to make the amazing official, so it is a pleasure to be joining the team in New Zealand to adjudicate the record attempt for the world's largest Haka,” shares Brian Sobel, Guinness World Records Adjudicator. “Guinness World Records has over 60,000 records on its database and by crowning new generations of record holders and sharing their authentic stories we aim to help people realise their potential and to re-examine the world. We look forward to doing just that at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29th."

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